Thread measuring device



June 13, 1967 THREAD MEASURING DEVICE Filed Deo. 28, 1965 J. BILEK ETAL 3,325,073

, 2.9 ET J 34 INVENTOR United States Patent O M 3,325,073 THREAD MEASURNG DEVICE Jan Blek and .li Zlatohlvclr, Liberec, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Elitex Zavody Textilniho Strojirenstvi, (liborove Reditelstvi, Liberec, Czechoslovakia Fiied Dec. 2S, 1965, Ser. No. 517,153 Claims. (Cl. 22e- 139) i The present invention relates to a thread measuring device, and more particularly to a device for measuring iengths of a weft thread `before the same is inserted into a warp shed.

Particularly, shuttleless looms of the type using a stream or jet `of pressure fluid for carrying the weft thread to a warp shed, require the `dispensing of accurately measured lengths of the weft thread to the nozzle which discharges the stream of pressure fluid, which may be air or a liquid.

Measuring and dispensing devices serving this purpose have been proposed, but are not fully adapted for adjustment for the purpose of exactly varying the measured length of weft thread in a simple manner, and within a wide range of different lengths, particularly during -the operation of the loom.

It is one object of the invention to provide a thread measuring device capable of accurate adjustment to measure different lengths of thread.

lt is another object of the invention to improve a measuring device which is provided with a spiral-shaped guide groove for the thread so as to permit very ac-curate adjust- -ment of the length of the dispensed and measured thread.

Another object of the invention is to provide a thread measuring device permitting exact adjustment of the weft length dispensed to the nozzle `of a jet loom.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to a thread measuring device which is particularly suited for shuttleless looms. One embodiment of the invention comprises a rotary measuring means including a first part having a spiral-shaped thread guide means and formed with a cavity having an opening in one end portion where the spiral-shaped thread guide means has the smallest radius, and a second part mounted in the first part for axial adjusting movement and including a Winding portion projecting outward of the opening in the end portion of the rst part, and having a radius corresponding to the radius of the thread guide means on 4the above mentioned end portion of the rst part. Clamping means are provided for clamping a thread to the end of the Winding portion whereby during a given number of revolutions of the measuring means, a first number of loops is wound on the winding portion and a second number of loops is Wound on the spiral-shaped guide means.

Since the number of loops wound on the winding portion depends on the adjustable axial length of the Winding portion, the ratio between the number of loops on the winding portion and the number `of loops on the lirst part depends on the axial adjustment of the second part, and the length of the thread forming the loops can be varied by adjusting the length of the winding portion.

Preferably, the winding portion is provided with a helical guide groove of small diameter on the outer peripheral surface thereof, yand the guide means on the rst part is a spiral-shaped groove whose portion of smallest radius of curvature merges into the guide groove on the Winding portionl 3,325,073 Patented June 13, 1967 ICC The adjustment of the axially projecting length of the Winding portion is preferably obtained 'by providing an inner thread in the cavity of the rst part, and 'an outer thread on the outer peripheral surface of the second part, land this outer thread can be used as guide groove on the projecting Winding portion of the second part.

The clamping means includes a -rotary clamping member which is pressed against the end face of the winding portion for clamping the thread, and is moved away from the end face for releasing the thread while the same is being taken off the first and second part, for example during the picking of the thread into a Warp shed.

The rst and second parts of the measuring means may be secured to each other by locking means, such as a set screw, after the axial length of the projecting winding portion has been properly adjusted in accordance with the `desired length of the measured thread.

The novel features which are considered `as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention its-elf, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be Ibest understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is an elevation, partially in axial section, illustrating a thread measuring device according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with certain parts omitted for the sake of simplicity.

Referring now to the drawings, the measuring device includes an inner part 1, shown to be the end portion of a shaft which is rotated by drive means, not shown. The end portion of the inner part 1 is formed with a helical thread 2 onto Which an outer part 3 is screwed by means of an inner thread 4 provided in a cylindrical cavity 4a of member 3. A portion `of `the inner member il projects out of the cavity 4a of the outer member 3 and forms la winding portion whose periphery is provided with a helical groove Which is part of the outer thread 2. The axial length of the projecting Winding portion can be adjusted by turning parts l and 3 relative to each other, and preferably such adjustment may be carried out by turning the 4outer member `3 which constitutes a nut, and has a split hub portion 3 permitting clamping of the split hub 8 against the periphery of the inner member 1 whereby the outer member 3 is locked in any adjusted position.

The outer member has a spiral-shaped guide groove 5 which has its smallest curvature at the end in the region of the winding portion 10 of the inner member 1. The radius Iof the spiral-shaped groove 5 gradually increases in a direction away from the Winding portion 10 so that the end `of the guide groove is formed by a helical groove portion 6 on a cylindrical end portion of the outer member 3. The end of guide groove 5 has substantially the same radius of curvature as the guide groove formed by thread 2 on Winding portion 10 `so that the grooves merge into each other,

An annular clamping member l17 is mounted by means of 'a roller bearing 18 on a tube 34 which is supported by a rocking lever 16 operated lby cam means, not shown, in synchronism with the operation of the slay of the loom for which the measuring device is used. In the position illustrated in FIG. l, clamping member 17 is spaced from the end face a of the winding portion, but clamping member 17 can be moved to a clamping position abutting end face 10a for clamping a thread 11 against the same while rotating with the measuring `means 1, 3 due to the fact that clamping member is coupled to the inner part 1 in the clamping position, and is supported on bearing 18.

A Afriction roller 40 is mounted on a lever means 43 which is supported on a pivot 44 and rolls on a cylindrical periphenal portion 3a of outer member 3 for urging a thread y11 against the same whereby the thread is fed to the periphery of the outer part 3 through a stationary thread guide 45.

The thread passes in the illustrated position from thread guide 45 through the gap `between end face 10a and clamping member 17 into and through tube 34 and finally through a passage in a nozzle 29. When a stream of pressure -fiuid is discharged lby nozzle Z9, thread 11 is inserted into a warp shed, not shown.

When clamping member 17 is moved after the pick of the weft thread end to a clamping position abutting end face 10a, which is accomplished by a cam acting on lever 16, the thread is clamped at the end face 10a and since the measuring device 1, 3 rotates, the thread is first wound into the helical groove formed by thread 2 on the projecting winding portion 10, then into the smallest portion of the spiral-shaped groove 5, and finally into the helical groove 6.

The inner part 1'is rotated a predetermined number of revolutions during successive picks. For example, if the device performs four revolutions during each picking operation, a first number of loops is wound in the helical groove of the projecting winding portion 10, and a second number of loops is wound in spiralshaped groove 5, in groove portion 6, and in the -circular recess 7.

Evidently, the vnumber of small loops wound on the projecting winding portion 10 depends on the axial length of the projecting winding portion, which can be selected by screwing the outer member 3 in axial direction along the inner part 1. For example, three loops of the weft thread may be wound into the groove formed by thread 2 'on the projecting winding portion 10, and one loop into the helical groove portion 6 of the outer part 3.

On the other hand, during the same four revolutions, if the length of the winding portion 10 has been shortened by screwing outer part 3 to the right as viewed in FIG. l, only one loop of small diameter is wound on the projecting winding portion 10, and three loops may be wound into the outer groove portion 6 in addition to the spiralshaped loop in groove portion 5.

It is evident that the length of the thread wound on both parts 1 and 3 depends on the axial adjustment of the winding portion 10, and can be accurately determined by adjustment of the two parts relative to each other. After the desired adjusted position of parts 3 and 1 has been found, the parts are secured to each other by the locking screw 9 clamping the slit hub 8 of the outer part 3 against the cylindrical peripheral surface of the inner part 1.

When clamping member 17 is moved away from the end face 10a, the stream of air discharged by nozzle 29 pulls the weft thread through tube 34 and the gap between clamping member 17 and end face 10a so that all loops of the thread are drawn out of the guide grooves and pass through tube 34 toward the nozzle and the warp shed.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of thread measuring devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a thread measuring device including two winding parts adjustable realtive to each other, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A thread measuring device comprising, in combination, a rotary measuring means having an axis and including a first part having a spiral-shaped thread guide means whose radial distance from said axis increases from one end portion to the other end portion of said first part, said first part having a cavity having an opening in said one end portion, and a second part mounted in said cavity for axial adjusting movement and including a winding portion projecting out of said opening and having a radius corresponding to the radius of the smallest portion of said guide means on said one end portion of said first part whereby during a given number of revolutions of said measuring means, a first number of thread loops depending on the axial length of said winding portion is wound on the same and a second number of thread loops is wound on said first part and on said spiral-shaped guide means, the ratio between said first and second numbers of thread loops depending on the axial length of said projecting winding portion so that by axial adjustment of said second part and of the axial length of said projecting winding portion, the length of the thread forming said loops is varied.

2. A thread measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said cavity has an inner thread; and wherein said second part has an outer thread in engagement with said inner thread and forming a guide groove on said projecting winding portion of said second part.

3. A thread measuring device according to claim 2 wherein said spiral-shaped thread guide means is a guide groove merging into said thread of said projecting winding portion.

4. A thread measuring device according to claim 3 wherein said first part has a cylindrical end portion, and is formed with a helical groove on the same forming a continuation of said spiral-shaped guide groove.

5. A thread measuring device according to claim 1 and including locking means for securing said first and second parts to each other in adjusted positions of said first and second parts in which said projecting winding portion has different axial lengths.

6. A thread measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said projecting winding portion has a helical guide groove; and wherein said spiral-shaped thread guide means is a spiral-shaped guide groove having a groove end portion with the same radius of curvature as said groove on said winding portion.

7. A thread measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said second part has an outer helical thread extending onto said winding portion; wherein said first part has an inner thread in engagement with said outer thread so that said first part can be screwed on said second part for adjusting the axial length of said projecting winding portion and thereby the number of windings of said outer thread on said projecting winding portion; and wherein said spiral-shaped thread guide means is a groove merging into said thread on said winding portion; and wherein said first part has a cylindrical portion formed with a helical guide groove merging into the outer portion of said spiral-shaped guide groove.

8. A thread measuring device according to claim 7 wherein said first part has a hub portion formed with said inner thread; and locking means for securing said hub portion to said second part spaced from said winding portion and said outer thread.

and wherein said hub of said first part has an inner cyll indrical surface sliding on said outer cylindrical surface M' HENSON WOOD JR" Prlmmy Examme' of said second part. R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A THREAD MEASURING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A ROTARY MEASURING MEANS HAVING AN AXIS AND INCLUDING A FIRST PART HAVING A SPIRAL-SHAPED THREAD GUIDE MEANS WHOSE RADIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID AXIS INCREASES FROM ONE END PORTION TO THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID FIRST PART, SAID FIRST PART HAVING A CAVITY HAVING AN OPENING IN SAID ONE END PORTION, AND A SECOND PART MOUNTED IN SAID CAVITY FOR AXIAL ADJUSTING MOVEMENT AND INCLUDING A WINDING PORTION PROJECTING OUT OF SAID OPENING AND HAVING A RADIUS CORRESPONDING TO THE RADIUS OF THE SMALLEST PORTION OF SAID GUIDE MEANS ON SAID ONE END PORTION OF SAID FIRST PART WHEREBY DURING A GIVEN NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS OF SAID MEASURING MEANS, A FIRST NUMBER OF THREAD LOOPS DEPENDING ON THE AXIAL LENGTH OF SAID WINDING PORTION IS WOUND ON THE SAME AND A SECOND NUMBER OF THREAD LOOPS IS WOUND ON SAID FIRST PART AND ON SAID SPIRAL-SHAPED GUIDE MEANS, THE RATIO BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND NUMBERS OF THREAD LOOPS DEPENDING ON THE AXIAL LENGTH OF SAID PROJECTING WINDING PORTION SO THAT BY AXIAL ADJUSTMENT OF SAID SECOND PART AND OF THE AXIAL LENGTH OF SAID PROJECTING WINDING PORTION, THE LENGTH OF THE THREAD FORMING SAID LOOPS IS VARIED. 